Thatcher part 3: Extent of political & social division Flashcards
What were the social divisions like by the end of the 80s?
They were the deepest social divisions that Britain had experienced since WW2
What was the main reason for the large amounts of social division in Britain?
Thatcher’s economic policies
What sorts of conflict took place in Britain while Thatcher was PM and what caused them?
- Riots
- Industrial conflict
- Protest movements
Controversy over Section 28 and the British response to AIDS
In what way could Thatcher not be blamed for the social divide in Britain?
It was actually the result of longer-term economic and social changes
What happened to the gap between the rich and the poor under Thatcher?
It widened significantly
What did regressive taxes that Thatcher brought in do?
Took a larger percentage of the poor’s income than the income of the rich
How did Thatcher’s policies aimed at cutting inflation affect the poor?
They cut spending on the poor and led to unemployment among manufacturing work
Who did Thatchers cuts in income tax benefit more?
The rich rather than the poor
By 1989 bottom 10% paid £400 million less in income tax, the top 10% paid £9.3 billion less
How did the proportion of pensioners living below the poverty line change under Thatchers’s laws?
From 13% to 43%
How did the incomes of the rich and the poor change between 1979-1992?
Rich: income rose 61%
Poor: decreased by 18%
How was the middle class divided by Thatcher?
Many were against her on the public sector
Only 55% of the middle class voted Tory in 1987, fewer than any time since 1918
How did the middle class change under Thatcher?
The middle class grew
One can argue that an increasing income gap between the rich and poor is a sign of a growing economy
How did regional productivity change under Thatcher?
London & SE got richer and became more productive
Productivity declined the NE & NW
What misconceptions were there about the North/South divide under Thatcher?
The North-South divide did worsen
Some say it was created, but try to view this in the context of a divide existing in Britain since the years immediately after the end of WW1
How did Thatcher try to address the North/South divide?
She introduced “enterprise zones”
What were Thatcher’s “enterprise zones”?
These were private areas where firms received government funds to move in and generate growth
How effective were the “enterprise zones” that Thatcher introduced?
Led to some impressive urban renewal projects (Albert Docks, Liverpool)
Wider success was limited
How did the number of economically inactive people change under Thatcher?
Economically inactive people in former industrial areas continued to increase between 1990 - 1997
By 2001 1/5 men in former coalfields were unemployed, up from 1/10 in 1981
By 2001, how many men in former coalfields were unemployed?
1/5
Compared to 1/10 in 1981
Which poorer areas of the UK bounced back under Thatcher?
Yorkshire, South Derbyshire and North Warwickshire bounced back but South Wales struggled
Why did South Wales suffer badly under Thatcher?
Due to the decline of the mining areas
How did unemployment change in Wales from 1979-1986?
1979 - 73,000
1986 - 166,000
`By 1990 how many people in Wales worked in mining?
3000 people
What % of the mining workforce in Wales was lost?
90%
What sort of social problems were caused by the unemployment in Wales?
It lead to social problems such as drug abuse, homelessness and crime
1, 308 drug offenses recorded in Wales in 1990, compared with 605 in 1979
How was there economic development in other areas of Wales under Thatcher?
- Increased spending on NHS
- GDP per person increased
- More students going to further education
How much did spending on the NHS increase in Wales under Thatcher?
From £500 million in 1979 to £1.5 billion in 1990
How much did the GDP increase in Wales under Thatcher?
GDP per person increased from £7000 to £20,300
How did the amount of students who went onto further education in Wales under Thatcher change?
Number of school-leavers seeking further education or training increased from 20% to 47% between 1974 to 1991
